- JEDDAH: In comparison to publishing houses from other Arab countries, Saudi publishing houses are expected to attract few Saudi readers to their pavilions at next week’s Riyadh International Book Fair.
Nevertheless, the 317 Saudi publishing houses, participating at the fair are keen on exhibiting their books.
“Saudi publishing houses only get school textbooks to print,” said Khaled Ali Omar, the official in charge of distribution at Dar Hafez Publishing House.
“We are able to lure students and researchers thanks to the Ministry of Culture and Information who has made it obligatory for Saudi academics to print their academic books in Saudi publishing houses,” he said.
“This has enabled the other Arab publishing houses to monopolize important names and titles,” he added. Omar said Saudi publishing houses are only participating in the fair to prove they are there. “We can benefit from the experience of Arab publishing houses which specialize in the printing of academic books,” he said.
It is clear that authors who wish to see their books widely distributed need to turn to famous Arab publishing houses such as Al-Saqi, Riyadh Al-Raies, Al-Jamal and others.